Heal My Soul
by Kinomoto Neko
Summary: As shinobi you would expect a certain amount of pain in your life, but some go through more than others. [SakuraNeji][Slightly dark to begin with]


Neko: Okay I know very, very little of Neji and Sakura's backgrounds, so I'm winging this. I'm sorry if I get something wrong (if you could tell me so I can fix it would be best!). Anywho, enjoy! Oh, and sorry about the letter dividers... my ruler button still isn't working... is anyone else having this problem?

And thanks again to my awsome beta, Lexy!

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Heal My Soul – Chapter One

Pain… it was in each in and every one of them. Some buried it deep within, others use it as a weapon, some become obsessed with it, and on rare occasions some die because of it.

Now, being a ninja should give you a clue as to how much pain you should expect. But when you're eight, it hardly seems fair. But what is fair in this cruel world? Not life, not love, nothing but our own hearts, and even then it can lead you astray.

Hyuuga Neji was one that used his pain as a weapon. He turned it into anger and that…into strength. But who knew that a simple pain of the heart could lead to his undoing?

Haruno Sakura was one that buried her pain deep inside, occasionally letting it slip into anger, then into her monstrous strength. But usually when you try to hide something, no matter how deep, it always comes back to haunt you…

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Since the beginning Hyuuga Neji's life had not been easy. Being born into the Branch Family of the Hyuuga Clan, his father being cursed and killed, being cursed himself. And having to live with all that pain.

When he was five his life was peacefully ignorant, as all children are at that age. Having only known his father he could not mourn his mother. Then when he was eight he met his uncle and cousins for the first time. As the two sides of the family met to discuss Neji came to know his closest-aged cousin, Hinata (Hanabi was only two at the time). For some reason, he could sense her pain; see the suffering from her father's hand. And that hand would only bring more pain, in his eyes.

Now, as a child we can see something and understand it one way, but as an adult we look back and see it in a completely different way. So as a child Neji misunderstood what had happened to his father, and his upcoming death. And when he was used as a sacrifice for the curse, again Neji could not see it from the eyes of the adults surrounding him.

So from age eight he grew into his pain, transforming it into his strength. He became known as a genius, excelling in the ways of the ninja. And he became arrogant to those around him, as no one could see it was a shield to ward off more pain.

But, as he helped his "friends" retrieve Sasuke the first time around, he came to know his weakness. That day, he died…and was reborn.

While on the outside his appearance didn't change, on the inside the ice had slowly begun to melt. Notice how I said slowly… At fifteen, he was still cool to those around him, as he hadn't learned that in order to make friends with those around him, he would have to actually act nicely. But that was all to change shortly after he and his teammates returned from Suna.

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Haruno Sakura actually didn't grow up with much pain in her life. But it was a lonely one. Normally, her family owned a hot springs bath, popular in Konoha. But her mother had married a shinobi, which often meant she was alone. Being exposed to this caused Sakura to become a very emotionally receptive person. At eight, going to the academy, Sakura learned something new: pain.

Her looks caused the other girls to shun her, making a delicate child even more fragile. The only hope in her life was Yamanaka Ino, but even that crumbled under jealousy for the same boy. A boy, who when she was twelve, broke her heart, and the heart of her closest friend and teammate, Naruto.

With the ups and downs of "love" Sakura learned not to trust herself, causing pain. Just as the girls had done to her, so Sasuke had continued, damaging her. At fifteen she learned only more pain.

During Orochimaru's attack on Konoha, her parents had been killed. Also, Sasuke had broken her heart again by refusing to return to the Leaf village, crushing her under his cold gaze. Shortly after that, she was sent to Suna with a few others, where she nearly lost her friends Kankuro and Kazekage Gaara.

Although the process was years in the making Sakura's spirit broke. So when another who was as cold as ice came along, how could she expect for them to heal each other?

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"Sakura! Concentrate!" Tsunade yelled at her student. Sakura winced and tried it again. "No, no, no! Like this!" Tsunade showed her again, and again Sakura tried. "NO! Sakura if you aren't going to take this seriously then just go home!" Sakura bit her bottom lip.

"I'm trying, Tsunade-shishou…" Tsunade rounded on her.

"No, if you were trying you would have gotten it! What's wrong with you? You used to get everything correctly within two tries!" Tsunade sighed as she sat in the chair behind her desk, pulling open a bottom drawer. She pulled out a bottle of sake. "I'm putting you on suspension. Go take a vacation, and when you come back, if you come back, we'll try again. Now, I don't want to see you for three months. You have permission to leave Konoha for Suna or Fire's village by the sea…" Sakura nodded, staring at the floor.

She turned to leave Tsunade's words stopped her, "And take Hyuuga Neji with you. The boy's been on five month-long missions consecutively. He needs a break…" Sakura nodded and left the office. Shizune came in right after Sakura.

"You know, if you wanted to send Sakura on a vacation you could have just ordered her to do it. You didn't have to trick her like that," Shizune said. Tsunade laughed.

"Yah, but that girl is so stubborn, she wouldn't have budged!" The two laughed.

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Sakura, meanwhile, was walking down the main shopping street, thinking over what she had done wrong. She shivered, even in the heat, 'Why can't I be strong? Why am I so weak?' The insecurities came back to her in a flood. The teasing, Sasuke, and other's cruel words.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" Naruto called, the others with him. "Come on!" She looked up at him, gave him a pained look with her entire body, and then ran off. "Uh… Sakura-chan?"

"Great, dickless, what did you do now?" Sai said, looking over a display of paintbrushes. Naruto huffed.

"I didn't do anything! AND DON'T CALL ME THAT!" With that the two began bickering. But the others looked at each other, knowing that their friend was in pain.

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Neji sighed as he dragged his tired, chakra-exhausted body, onto his bed. He had just shut his eyes when he heard a knock on his door. Growling, he called whomever it was in, rolling over to face them.

A nameless servant entered and bowed. "Hyuuga-sama requests an audience with you Neji-sama," she said before leaving. Neji could have whimpered. He didn't want to talk to his uncle now. He wanted sleep and a bath, but not necessarily in that order.

But decorum demanded he obey, and he tiredly made his way to his uncle's study. Inside his white eyes shot directly towards the female in the room. Not like you could miss her with that pink hair and red outfit among chocolate haired, white-dressed Hyuugas. She smiled at him as he came in and shut the door behind himself. He bowed to his uncle and waited.

"Neji, this kunoichi has come to me saying that the Hokage has ordered you on a… what was it, a vacation?" Sakura nodded, and he nodded in return, "A vacation. You are to leave tomorrow, and not come back for three months. The council has agreed with the Hokage to send you to the seaside village on Fire Country's border." With that he was dismissed. Neji bowed once again and then took Sakura's elbow to lead her out.

"Why has the Hokage sent you with her message?" He asked, leading her back to the general direction of his rooms. Sakura blushed softly at the contact of his hand on her flesh.

"I-I don't know, she just told you to take you with me when I leave tomorrow…" she said softly. He stopped and turned and looked at her. Her body language said something was wrong, and he immediately wanted to know what it was.

"Are you healthy?" He asked before thinking. She looked up at his face with wide emerald eyes.

"Perfectly fine…" she answered, a little confused and tense . He mentally slapped himself.

"I meant to ask, are you okay? You seem, tired…" This got her to relax slightly.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just need a rest by the sea, then I can come back stronger than ever and show everyone I'm not weak!" She looked determined. A smiled touched his lips.

"Haruno-san, next to Lee, you are the strongest person I know," he said this honestly. Sakura blushed the color of her hair.

"Thank you, but you seem to forget everyone else in the village. I'm by far one of the weakest," she said, but with a smile of gratitude. He nodded.

"Then perhaps I shall train with you during our banishment?" He said, She nodded, agreeing with the 'banishment' comment. "Now, when shall I meet you tomorrow?"

"Eight in the morning, by the eastern gate," She said. He nodded and Sakura went on her way. Neji realized that during that little banter, he had become slightly energized. As if, with just the touch of her hand, she had healed him. He unknowingly smiled all the way back to his room.

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Sakura felt slightly better after leaving Neji. Just knowing someone hadn't given up on her truly meant something. She yawned softly as she stepped into her apartment, and kicked off her sandals. She had gotten this place shortly after her aunt and five cousins had come to take over the Haruno Hot Springs and Spa. Sakura rarely missed her home, feeling better when she was alone.

Looking through her cabinets for dinner she found a box of instant curry and decided to make it. After she ate and did the dishes she walked into her bathroom and ran the water for a much-craved-for bath, pouring relaxing salts and oils into it. After showering in the small stall she stepped into her hot bath and sighed happily.

Even though this had been a cruddy day, it had ended nicely. Now, for the next three months she would be sunbathing on the beach, training with Neji, and just relaxing, getting her mind back into the game. And hopefully help Neji relax as well. She couldn't imagine doing five, month-long missions in a row. Sakura made a mental note to bring her medical scrolls with her for review.

After the water lost its heat she stood and wrapped a towel around her toned body. She went to the mirror, brushed out her hair to dry, brushed her teeth and nodded decisively.

Tomorrow would be the start of a very long journey of healing…

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Neko: And there you go! Hope you enjoyed!


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